Communities In Schools of the Blue Mountain Region (CISBM) is thrilled to announce that it has once again received a generous $15,000 grant from the Wildhorse Foundation. This continued support ensures that students across the region have consistent access to healthy snacks and basic food supplies, helping them thrive both in and out of the classroom.
The funding will be allocated as follows:
- $10,000 will provide healthy snacks at all CISBM school locations, including jerky, cheese sticks, mixed nuts, fruit cups, applesauce pouches, and peanut butter and cracker packs. These snacks help satiate hunger and stabilize blood sugar, enabling students to focus on learning and engagement throughout the day.
- $5,000 will be used to assemble boxes of food and essential supplies for families during school breaks, averaging $25 per box, ensuring that students have access to nourishment even when school meals are not available.
Last year, the Wildhorse Foundation’s $19,000 grant enabled CISBM to offer healthy snacks at all 14 schools in the region. For many students, school meals represent their primary source of nutrition, and the snacks provided by CISBM support their physical, mental, and emotional health—helping them meet academic, social, and behavioral challenges with energy and focus.
“We are incredibly grateful for the Wildhorse Foundation’s continued support,” said Katie DePonty, Executive Director of Communities In Schools of the Blue Mountain Region. “These funds make a real difference in the daily lives of our students, providing nourishment that allows them to learn, grow, and succeed.”
More About Communities In Schools
Communities In Schools® (CIS®) is a national organization that ensures every student—regardless of who they are, their ability, zip code, or socioeconomic background—has what they need to realize their potential in school and beyond. Working directly inside more than 3,000 schools across the country, we connect students to caring adults and community resources that help them see, confront, and overcome the barriers that stand between them and a brighter future. Together, we build a powerful change movement made up of peers, students, and alumni committed to building an equitable path to education for future generations.
About Wildhorse Foundation
The Wildhorse Foundation was established on January 1, 2001, to formalize charitable giving on behalf of the Wildhorse Resort & Casino and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Funds from the Wildhorse Foundation support education, public health, public safety, gambling addiction prevention, the arts, environmental protection, cultural activities, salmon restoration, and historic preservation. Grants are awarded quarterly, with deadlines on January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1. For more information, visit TheWildhorseFoundation.com.
About the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation comprises the Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla tribes, formed under the Treaty of 1855 at the Walla Walla Valley. In 1949, the tribes adopted a constitutional form of government to protect, preserve, and enhance the reserved treaty rights guaranteed under federal law.
Contact:
- Katie DePonty, Executive Director
- Communities In Schools of The Blue Mountain Region
- katied@cisbluemountain.org